U.S. Hockey Team Eliminated at World Cup

By ESPN

Patrick Kane was on the verge of tears as the final horn sounded on another American loss to Canada.

A 4-2 wipeout eliminated the United States from the World Cup of Hockey on Tuesday night, ending what was perhaps the best chance for this generation of players to win an international competition. Instead, the U.S. flamed out in two games, leaving disappointment, frustration and plenty of questions about the direction of the program.

In the aftermath of a dominant, clinical performance by the tournament favorite and a lackluster showing by the U.S., top players were shell-shocked by the early exit.

"Two games here and you're done," said Kane, who doesn't have a goal in nine consecutive games in a Team USA uniform. "It's just amazing. It's crazy the way hockey is. It's definitely frustrating being an American and having these opportunities and have nothing to show for it."

A shutout at the hands of Team Europe, a group of players from eight countries, and then a mistake-prone loss to Canada was enough to keep the U.S. from reaching the semifinals. Canada and Europe clinched spots.

What Kane called a "dud" against Europe put the U.S. in a must-win mode against its biggest rival. Regulation victories against Canada and the Czech Republic would have advanced the Americans. And now the final round-robin game between Team USA and Team Czech Republic on Thursday is a matchup of lame-duck teams.

U.S. general manager Dean Lombardi said in June that his goal was to build a team that could beat Canada. The American roster, heavy on size and grit and light on speed and skill, was widely panned when it was announced, and it took more hits this week.